Trump’s infidelity is personal and presidential

January 25, 2018

Not surprisingly, one of the latest revelations about No. 45 is the report that in 2016, his lawyer Michael Cohen paid adult film star Stephanie Clifford (also known as “Stormy Daniels”) $130,000 to secure an agreement preventing her from disclosing the details of a 2006 sexual liaison with Donald Trump.

Unfortunately for No. 45, Clifford had already memorialized the details in a 2011 magazine interview. She disclosed that a year-long affair began four months after Melania delivered Barron, No. 45’s youngest son. The most ardent Trump supporter must admit that these circumstances fall well within the definition of “infidelity.”

No surprise
That this $130,000 payoff has caused so little public concern is also not surprising. After all, Trump offered that he could shoot someone in Times Square and lose no support.

Maybe I have become inured to his bad acts, but I find that any discussion of his behavior only informs or reinforces my evaluation of the nature of his character. Or should I say lack of character!

The definition of “infidelity” is “a breach of trust or disloyal act.” Using that, infidelity is not uncommon to the personal life of Donald Trump.

Trump’s affair with Marla Maples while still married to his first wife Ivana is an event that’s been well-publicized and enshrined in the public record. Later, while married to Marla, he began an affair that ultimately led to his marriage to Melania.

Since becoming a public figure, news reports and self-admissions have connected him with numerous affairs and improprieties with random women. His tawdry behavior shapes my evaluation of his relationship with his wife/wives. This same behavior shapes my evaluation of the character of one given the sacred responsibility of making decisions for the well-being of 324 million-plus Americans.

In that context, I have determined his character as devoid of any moral compass. He has shown himself to be a narcissistic opportunist without values that aren’t connected to his own enrichment. More disturbing is the fact that any infidelity involving his wives or family is insignificant when balanced against the infidelity to which he has subjected the nation.

Let me explain
Every president swears an oath “to protect and defend The Constitution of the United States from all enemies, foreign and domestic” and adhere to “The Rule of Law.”

As chief executive, No. 45’s job is to provide for the lawful defense and security of all citizens of this nation without regard to race, gender, religion, creed, color or national origin. It is his job to preserve the institutions that form the foundation and provide for the orderly conduct of the nation’s business.

In these responsibilities No. 45 has demonstrated Infidelity far worse than that which he has shown his family. Most commonly, he has:

•inflamed and fomented racial hostility and divisiveness with his rhetoric and actions;
•violated emolument laws and continues to use the influence of his office for the enrichment of his family and himself;
•demeaned and discredited every Branch of Government, agency or person who would not acquiesce to his demands for special favor or consideration;
•attempted to shape the legal process in order to evade prosecution for violations;
•failed to protect our national electoral process from the threat, as identified by national security agencies, of tampering by a hostile foreign adversary.

Vote wisely!
Viewed in the aggregate, his conduct suggests his intent to move our government away from democracy to the establishment of an authoritarian regime akin to the nature of his businesses. That effort must not succeed!

We must not forget that No. 45 was rejected by a margin of three million votes in 2016. If it were not for the outdated Electoral College, we wouldn’t have to endure this ongoing atrocity. We must take the recent lessons of the value of our votes and use them wisely.

Dr. E. Faye Williams is national chair of the National Congress of Black Women, Inc. Contact her via www.nationalcongressbw.org.